Reunifying children and their birth families after foster care in Albania

Professor Sarah Hean talks to Megi Xhumari, social worker in Bethany Social Services, Albania and PhD candidate (University of Tirana), Albania.  They discuss foster care as an innovative service in the Albania context and issues of reunification of children with birth families when taken from institutional into foster care.

Professor Sarah Hean snakker med Megi Xhumari, sosialarbeider i Bethany Social Services, Albania og doktorgradskandidat ved Universitetet i Tirana, Albania. De diskuterer fosteromsorg som en innovativ tjeneste i den albanske konteksten og problemstillinger knyttet til gjenforening av barn med biologiske familier når de blir tatt fra institusjonell omsorg til fosterhjem.

 EXTRA READING

• Xhumari, M. and Parker, J. (2025) Chapter 6: Reunification of children taken from institutional into foster care in Albania in Moving care contexts: separation, reunification and families´ wellbeing Editors:  Sarah Hean; Vanessa Heaslip, Jonathan Parker, Pravin Tembjerg: New York: Palgrave MacMillan
• CA21143 – Transnational Family Dynamics in Europe (TraFaDy).https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA21143/
• Interview with Megi Xhumari, Program Coordinator, Bethany Social Services Albania.I had so much hope.https://bethany.org/resources/i-had-so-much-hope

CONTRIBUTORS AND CREDITS

Content:

Megi Xhumari, Program Coordinator, Bethany Social Services, Albania and University of Tirana, Albania
Sarah Hean, Professor, University of Stavanger

Editor:
Sarah Hean University of Stavanger, Norway
Wenche Hovland University of Stavanger, Norway

You can find a transcription here (pdf, opens in new tab)